1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to communication card modems. More specifically the present invention relates to a communications card modem for a personal computer useful in the transmission and reception of sensitive data.
2. The Relevant Technology
The rapid increase in the use of distributed computing networks has caused a corresponding increase in the transmission of sensitive data. This has exposed sensitive data to substantial risk. These risks include intrusions by unauthorized users who gain access to the computing network by "hacking" and users with authorization to the networks but who "eavesdrop" on data to which they have no need to know.
Accordingly, computing networks have incorporated security measures to prevent this unauthorized user access to protect and preserve sensitive data. For example, software programs have been installed on computer networks that require users to supply a name and a password during the loading of the operating system. This, however, is inadequate for protecting sensitive data after the initialization process. For example, when a computer is left unattended by an authorized user, an unauthorized user is free to gain access.
Often, password programs are input into these computer networks through a circuit card inserted into an input/output expansion slot of an individual computer. This is problematic for many computers, such as laptop or personal computers (PC), because these computers typically already have their expansion slots filled with other circuit cards. Thereafter, they lack the open architecture that allows for additional expansion slots to accommodate circuit cards that load password programs.
In general, password programs are software inserted between the operating system of the computer and other software applications. Although most password programs are compatible with disk operating systems (DOS) like MS-DOS and PC-DOS, many password programs are still not compatible with Microsoft Windows software programs and higher level DOS.
Conventional password programs are also inadequate because they are typically devoid of protection for modem "dial-up" sessions which require user authentication before sensitive data can be transmitted or received.
More recently, other secure systems have been developed to overcome the inadequacies of the password programs. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,463, a portable security device is taught that provides encryption and authentication for data transmissions and reception. This device, however, is an additional piece of computing equipment which can easily be forgotten during transport of portable computers such as PC's. This device also requires additional connectors which increases user costs. These problems also exemplify the shortcomings in other similar related patents teaching modular, portable devices.
Other secure systems, such as "smart cards" have also been developed to provide protection for the transmission and reception of sensitive voice and data signals. In general, the smart card is a small microcomputer with writable, non-volatile memory and a simple input/output interface device fabricated as a single chip that is embedded in a plastic "credit card". For computer use, however, the smart card requires an additional expansion slot in the computer in order to be effective. Again, this is problematic because many PC and other downsized computer styles do not have an architecture that allows the insertion of additional cards into expansion slots. Furthermore, as computers continue to downsize, there will be fewer expansion slots available for additional cards such as smart cards.
Additionally, if the smart card is to be used with a computer for the transmission and reception of data, and only one expansion slot on the computer exists, a user is required to jockey between the card and the modem to effectuate data transfer. At best, this is inconvenient. Although some smart cards have been fabricated as smaller versions of the credit-card style smart cards, these have typically been reserved for use with cellular phones.
Still other security measurements for computing networks include authentication measures that utilize biological attributes of a user. Such systems include retina scanners or fingerprint readers. Although effective, these measures are extraordinarily expensive for users of average computing systems. They can also be inconvenient.
Accordingly, it is desirous to overcome the foregoing shortcomings associated with the prior art devices by providing a novel and improved secure means of transmitting and receiving sensitive data that is useful for computers and computing networks.